Yes, it's been absolutely forever since I've posted one of these. But I've learned to slow down and start doing the things I enjoy in life, one of which is cooking (and sharing my recipes). This is one I concocted last year on a whim, and it's been a big hit at tailgates - ghost pepper deer chili. I grew my own ghost peppers this year, so the heat may vary, but dial it back to half a pepper for less spice. This could be cooked in a pot, but I opted for the set-it-and-forget-it crock pot method.

Ingredients for the chili:

-2-3 lbs ground deer meat, drained and rinsed

-1 green bell pepper, diced

-2 white onions, diced

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-3 cans (~14 oz) diced tomato

-2 cans (~14 oz) kidney beans, drained

-1 can (~14 oz) beef broth

-1 tbsp cumin

-2 tbsp chili powder

-1 ghost pepper, minced

-Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the toppings/bottomings:

-2 pkgs cornbread/corn muffin mix (~8 oz)

-2 eggs (for cornbread mix)

-2/3 cup milk (for cornbread mix)

-1 bunch green onions, chopped (for topping)

-Cheddar cheese (for topping)

-Sour cream (for topping)

Chop onions and add to large mixing bowl

Chop green onions and set aside in separate bowl

Chop bell pepper and add to bowl with spices (they were out of green ones at the store, so I went with orange)

Now for the fun part. Grab some rubber gloves and get to work on the ghost pepper. Gloves aren't needed, but recommended in place of intense hand-scrubbing after handling. Mince the ghost pepper and add to the mixture.

Now on to the deer meat. Grab a spaghetti strainer and spread the deer meat around, and wash under cold water to remove blood. Let drain in a bowl or saucepan, rinse again, and repeat. Let the blood drain fully out (this is what gives deer the "gamey" taste).

Brown the deer meat in a pan until cooked through. Shouldn't take long as it is a lean meat.

Drain the kidney beans and add in the tomatoes (undrained) and beef broth to a 6-quart crock pot, and let the meat cool.

Add all ingredients together in crock pot, mix well, and cook on low for 8 hours. A little water may need to be added if it starts to look dry.

I don't have the serving picture as this was made for a tailgate. To serve, cut cornbread into 2-3" squares and place at the bottom of a bowl, and top with chili, then green onions, cheddar cheese, and sour cream (the cheese and sour cream help to tone down the heat). Enjoy!